Loving, Loosing, and Gaining
by Krys Xanthina
Summary: ONE SHOT - Rogue gives one of the other X-Men a Gift.


**ONE SHOT**

"Now Rogue, this ring stops powers from being used by the person wearing it, and it stops other peoples mutant powers from affecting you. Even powers such as strength." Rogue nodded.  
"Got it Force. Thanks. Y'all don't know how much this means ta meh...." Sliding the simple silver band onto her finger, she hugged him awkwardly, obviously not used to contact, yet having complete faith in his abilities. Nothing happened.  
She moved away, a little embarrassed.  
"Ah..... Ah have ta find someone." Forge nodded.  
"Go one then.... Shoo! Out of my Lab!" He laughed, having found a sense of humour, and made shoo-ing motions with his hands as he returned back to work.

No-one knew about Rogue's ring, apart from Forge, and that was the way she was going to keep it for as long as possible. She wanted to try and get control by herself.

Then that terribly fateful day happened. Rogue was out walking with Jean, when Sabretooth attacked and took her off (See: Goodnight Sweet Angel). Rogue blamed herself, and at some point, inside of them, everyone else blamed her too.

A few days after the funeral, Rogue was sat on a bench alone, just thinking, and toying with the ring, when the one person that should hate her most in the world sat next to her. Scott Summers. He had more cause to hate her than anyone. Maybe, in some twisted fashion, she had let Jean be taken, to give her a chance with him.... Not that she ever would have one now. She'd just frozen, and not moved, so it WAS her fault. Even the psyche's agreed with her – a rare thing indeed.

"Rogue...." He breathed softly, as he moved closer to her. "Rogue, I don't blame you. Its not your fault, okay?" She shook her head.  
"It IS mah fault Scott.... Cant yah see that? Ah didn't save her when Ah had a chance. Ah was close enough ta stop him, and ta save her.... It IS mah fault."  
"Rogue, No. Jean can take care of herself. She was always saying that remember?"  
"Yeah, like she took care of Freddy....." Rogue rolled her eyes.  
"We all have weak moments. Jean wasn't as strong as we all thought she was, and that's no-ones fault." He glanced down at the ring she was playing with. "Whats that?" Any subject was better than Jean....  
"Its.... It's a ring, Scott. Forge made it."  
"Whats does it do? Open a portal to another dimension where we're all evil?" The comment brought forth a small laugh from her, which she quickly covered up, but he heard none the same. "Beautiful...." He whispered, moving closer to her.  
"What is?"  
"Your laugh Rogue. You. You're beautiful."  
"Scott...." He cut her off.  
"No, Rogue, hear me out. I..... I always, kinda had a crush on you...." He admitted awkwardly, one hand rubbing the back of his neck, the other pushing his shades back up his nose. "Just.... I always had Jean.... and you always had.... well, you always had Goth." He touched her hair. "You still do.... but it suits you."  
"Scott.... Ah don't think Je...."  
"Jean's dead Rogue. Do you think she'd want me to live without love?" Rogue frowned slightly. It sounded exactly like something Jean would want. If she couldn't have Scott, she wouldn't let anyone else.  
"Uhh.... No.... Ah guess not...." She answered slowly, not wanting to upset him anymore.  
Rogue bit her lip as she looked over Scott's profile. He was still as gorgeous as ever.... He was too good for Jean anyway, Always had been.  
"Rogue?"  
"Yes?"  
"The only reason I didn't leave Jean for you.... Was because I was scared.... Of the no-touching thing. I guess it was Jean's fault.... She always had to be held.... All the time. I guess I got used to it." Rogue frowned, convinced now, more than ever, that the Boy Wonder, had been drinking. "And if there was a way.... That we could be together.... If we could both control our powers.." He added sadly.  
"Ah know Scott.... Ah kno.... Wait ah minute...." She smiled a little, suddenly excited.  
"Something wrong?"  
"No..... Everythin's right...."  
"What do you mean?" Women were VERY confusing creatures.  
"The ring...." She showed it to him. "Forge said that it blocks people's powers...."  
"So..... You can touch?"  
"I was thinking of somethin' else Sugah."

----

"You sure about this?"  
"Posative."  
"Sure you wanna do this?"  
"Scott...."  
"Sorry.. No questions. I remember."  
The two were sat in his room now, the ring on the bed between them. She took his hand in her gloved one, and stroked the back of it with her thumb gently, taking the ring with her other hand and sliding it onto his finger. It fit him as well as it had her.  
Taking a deep breath, he reached up to remove his shades, but was stopped by Rogue.  
"Let meh do it fer ya." She smiled a little, before reaching up and slowly removing his shades. There was no blinding light, no red flash, and the ceiling didn't fall in.  
Laughing softly with happiness, she brushed a strand of his hair out of his face and handed him the mirror.  
"Blue.." he whispered softly, turning to look at her. "It'd been so long Rogue.... I'd forgotten they were blue...." Without thinking, he put his bare hands on her uncovered face and kissed her lips.  
Again, there was no big tragedy. No power-drain, no fainting, and no trips to the infirmary. He looked at her, overjoyed and confused.  
"How?"  
"The Ring sugah. It also stops powers from affectin' yah." She smiled softly. "Yah can see yah eyes, and Ah can touch ya.... as long as ya wear it."  
He stroked her cheek for a moment, pulling her close to him.  
"Are you sure you want this Rogue?" She smiled wryly.  
"Ask meh that again, and yah wont wake up in tha mornin'." He nodded.  
"Got it."  
As they stood, looking in each others eyes, Scott's arms found their way around the petite Goth, holding her tight against his chest. As she looked up at him, her arms slid around her neck, and he bent his head and gave Rogue her first real kiss.

**A/N:**_ I don't care, I like SCOGUE-goodness. Happy and sweet stuff like this. Oh come on.... How many of us wouldn't have liked to see our goth Happy? (this is PRE-Remy.... Post-Jean. It makes sense people....) And Scott can be just so sweet.... ADMIT IT! Anywho, no long drawn out Angsty over Jean's death.... done it once. Bored of killing her now. Only the first chappie of GOODNIGHT SWEET ANGEL is really applicable, but.... N/m. And Scott finds a reason to live. Sweet –ness. I love it.... _


End file.
